Commissions probing civil war granted an year's extension by Nepal government

Nepal on Friday extended the tenure of two justice commissions by a year investigating into the decade-long armed conflict in the country that claimed more than 17,000 lives. The extension came after President Bidya Devi Bhandari Friday certified the amendment Bill on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission on Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) after they were endorsed by both the Houses.

The Nepalese civil war, known popularly as the Maoist Conflict or Maoist Insurgency, was a ten-year armed conflict between the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M) and the government of Nepal, fought from 1996 to 2006. The rebellion was launched by the CPN-M on February 13, 1996 with the main aim of overthrowing the Nepali monarchy and establishing a People's Republic.

It ended with the comprehensive peace accord signed on November 21, 2006. With the certification of the bill, the tenure of both the commissions have been extended by one year.

"The government extended the tenure of TRC and CIEDP as the both the commissions are yet to complete their remaining works relating to the decade long armed conflict, which claimed more than 17,000 lives," an official said. "The two transitional justice bodies should follow the cases of 17,876 deaths, 1,500 disappearances, 9,000 injured and 80,000 displaced during the Maoist insurgency from 1996 to 2006, the official added.

More than 63,000 complaints have been filed to the two commissions - one investigating an estimated 3,000 forced disappearances and the other focusing on crimes such as rape and murder. The TRC has received around 63,000 complaints relating to violation of human rights while it has completed preliminary investigation into 4,000 cases only. Similarly, out of estimated cases of 3,000 forced disappearances, primary investigation has been conducted into around 2,200 cases only.

(With inputs from agencies.)